Then a song of being washed by the rain, searching, swimming in the stream together – words for humanity.

It was the annual night of music from the Interfaith Council of Murrieta and Temecula Valley, a group promoting dialogue and peace among people of different beliefs. Nearly 300 people packed Grace Presbyterian Church in Temecula recently.

It featured music from an Islamic rapper and a Sikh children’s choir, as well as traditional Christian songs from several denominations.

Just after Sikh children sang a stirring hymn written by a long-ago guru, country gospel singer Jack Ragland marveled: “What an amazing variety of expressions in music. I’m just blown away.”

The council, of which my wife, Joanne, is a member, had its origins about 15 years ago, said Pat Proud, who produced the recent evening’s music with Marti Treckman. Proud said it began as Sacred Bridge, a group of Christians and Jews that eventually teamed with another organization preaching against hate. As Southwest Riverside County has grown in diversity, so, too, has the council, now including Muslims, Sikhs, Baha’is and others.

“I just have a heart for people coming together,” Proud said.

Performer Jamie Barnett of United Church of the Valley and others spoke of how rarely people of diverse faiths and cultures gather. “The common thread is music,” she said.

Muslim rapper Khumasi, whose mother lives in Murrieta, said he found Islam while attending San Diego State.

“Islam taught me life is about worshipping God,” he said.

He surprised the audience when he sang “Amazing Grace,” a work he called a poem of how to get to paradise. At the end, he said: “I love you all. I love you all.”

He was preceded by Stephenie Bushra Khan, a Muslim poet, and followed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints members Nathan Cox on the cello and Elizabeth Cox on the piano, both from Murrieta.

It was hard to believe such diversity was possible in 1988 when I moved here.

The evening’s most rousing performance was from Resonate, a Temecula children’s choral group of more than 30 attired in shimmering turquoise. The group swayed, twirled and danced through “Nothing is Impossible,” “Lean on Me” and “Rock this Town.” At one point, they led the crowd in rhythmic clapping – Sikhs, Muslims, Christians, etc.

At the end, Craig Smedley, the evening’s master of ceremonies, said much of music is born from grief and suffering. When you’re stressed, music can fill your soul, he said. And when you want to feel united with others, music does that, too.